Download List of Astronomical Events for 2016 - Science

List of Astronomical Events for 2016
Special Moon Dates
Phases of the Moon
22 Apr 2016
22 May 2016
New Moon
(Not Visible)
Half Moon – First Quarter
(Visible: 6pm-12am)
Full Moon
(Visible: 8pm-6am)
Half Moon – Third Quarter
(Visible: 1am-8am)
Moon phases on Fridays
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
16 Oct 2016
14 Nov 2016
Sep
Micro Full Moon (Full Moon at its furthest
distance from the Earth)
Blue Moon (Third Full Moon in a season with
four Full Moons)
Harvest Moon (First Full Moon in Autumn)
Super Full Moon (Full Moon at its nearest
distance from the Earth)
Oct
Nov
Dec
1st
Third
Quarter*
5th
Waning
Crescent*
4th
Waning
Crescent*
1st
Waning
Gibbous
6th
New Moon*
3rd
Waning
Crescent*
1st
Waning
Crescent*
5th
Waxing
Crescent
(Visible
before 9pm)
2nd
Waxing
Crescent*
7th
Waxing
Crescent
4th
Waxing
Crescent
2nd
Waxing
Crescent*
(Visible
before 9pm)
8th
Waning
Crescent*
12th
Waxing
Crescent
11th
Waxing
Crescent
8th
Waxing
Crescent
13th
Waxing
Crescent
10th
Waxing
Crescent
8th
Waxing
Crescent
12th
Waxing
Gibbous
9th
First Quarter
14th
Waxing
Gibbous
11th
Waxing
Gibbous
9th
Waxing
Gibbous
15th
Waxing
Crescent
19th
Waxing
Gibbous
18th
Waxing
Gibbous
15th
Waxing
Gibbous
20th
Waxing
Gibbous
17th
Waxing
Gibbous
15th
Waxing
Gibbous
19th
Waning
Gibbous
(visible until
10pm)
16th
Full Moon
21st
Waning
Gibbous*
18th
Waning
Gibbous*
16th
Waning
Gibbous
(Visible after
10pm)
22nd
Waxing
Gibbous
26th
Waning
Gibbous*
25th
Waning
Gibbous*
22nd
Full Moon
27th
Waning
Gibbous*
24th
Waning
Gibbous*
22nd
Waning
Gibbous*
26th
Waning
Crescent*
23rd
Third
Quarter
28th
Waning
Crescent*
25th
Waning
Crescent*
23rd
Waning
Crescent*
29th
Waning
Gibbous*
29th
Waning
Gibbous*
*Not visible during Observatory opening hours 7.45pm – 10.00pm.
29th
Waning
Crescent*
30th
New Moon*
30th
Waxing
Crescent*
Planets
The table below indicates the months in which you can view the planets in the evening sky.
Evening Sky (8.00pm-10.30pm)
Planet
Jan
Mercury
Venus
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Uranus and Neptune require telescopes to be
seen. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and
Saturn can be seen with the unaided eye or
with binoculars. Pluto and other dwarf planets
are not visible.
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus*
Neptune*
Meteor Showers
Every year, on specific dates the Earth travels through several areas of debris left over from a comet or passing asteroid. This debris consists of rock or ice
particles similar to grains of sands. As Earth collides with these particles, they streak through the atmosphere, resulting in bright flashes as they burn up.
Timings & Rates: Meteor showers are best viewed between midnight and sunrise on the peak dates.
The highest rate of meteors usually occurs between 2am-5am. The rates given below are estimates for the best viewing conditions requiring clear, dark skies.
Brightly lit, urban environments like Singapore will see significantly less meteors.
Origins: This indicates the comet or asteroid from which the debris originates. The comet/asteroid is not visible at the time of the meteor shower.
Radiants: This indicates the point/constellation in the sky where the meteors appear to start from. The peak rate usually occurs after the radiant has risen
above the horizon. However, there is no need to look directly at the radiant as meteor travel out in all directions and can bee seen at a variety of distances
from the radiant, therefore a clear open view of most of the sky is important for observing meteor showers.
Peak Date
Jan 4th & 5th
Meteor Shower Name
Quandrantids
Details
Estimated Rate: 120/hr
Origin: Minor Planet 2003 EH1 & Comet C/1490 Y1
Radiant: Bootes
rd
th
April 23 & 24
Lyrids
Estimated Rate: 20/hr
Origin: Comet Thatcher C/1861 G1
Radiant: Lyra
May 6th & 7th
Eta Aquariids
Estimated Rate: 40/hr
Origin: Comet 1P/Halley (Halley’s Comet)
Radiant: Aquarius
July 29th & 30th
Southern Delta Aquariids
Estimated Rate: 20/hr
Origin: Comet 96P/Machholz
Radiant: Aquarius
rd
th
August 13 & 14
Perseids
Estimated Rate: 150/hr
Origin: Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle
Radiant: Perseus
th
th
Oct 8 & 9
Draconids
Estimated Rate: 10/hr
Origin: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
Radiant: Draco
th
th
Oct 11 & 12 ,
Taurids
Estimated Rate: 5-10/hr
Nov 13th & 14th
Origin: Asteroid 2004 TG10 (1st), Comet 2P/Encke (2nd)
Radiant: Taurus
Oct 22nd & 23th
Orionids
Estimated Rate: 15/hr
Origin: Comet 1P/Halley (Halley’s Comet)
Radiant: Orion
Nov 18th & 19th
Leonids
Estimated Rate: 15/hr
Origin: Comet 55P/ Tempel-Tuttle
Radiant: Leo
th
th
Dec 14 & 15
Geminids
Estimated Rate: 120/hr
Origin: Asteroid 3200 Phaethon
Radiant: Gemini
nd
rd
Dec 22 & 23
Ursids
Estimated Rate: 10/hr
Origin: Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle
Radiant: Ursa Minor
Reference: Shower Calendar 2016, International Meteor Organisation, http://imo.net/files/data/calendar/cal2016.pdf
Planetary events
Oppositions (outer planets only) – Alignments between the Sun, Earth and an outer planet such as Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune. During this
time the planet is near its closest position to Earth and is seen at its brightest and fullest. The planets will mainly be visible after 9pm.
Conjunctions – Alignments of the planets or stars such that they appear very close to each other when observed from Earth.
Date
8th March
Significant Planetary Events
Jupiter – Opposition
Remarks
Alignment of Jupiter, Earth & Sun.
Jupiter at its fullest and brightest.
9th May
Mercury – Transit across the Sun
Not visible in Singapore. Best view locations are
eastern America and western Africa.
Mercury will pass in front of the Sun as observed
from Earth. On average, 13 transits of Mercury
happen each century.
22nd May
Mars – Opposition
Alignment of Mars, Earth & Sun.
Mars at its fullest and brightest.
3rd June
Saturn – Opposition
Alignment of Saturn, Earth & Sun.
Saturn at its fullest and brightest.
27th Aug
Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter
Venus and Jupiter appear in close proximity in
the early evening at the Western horizon. This
would be visible just after sunset.
Eclipses of 2016
Eclipses occur during an alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon, resulting in the Sun’s light being blocked and a shadow being cast on either the Earth or the
Moon.
Each is eclipse is only visible in a small number of locations.
The location of an eclipse depends on the Earth’s position and tilt, the time, duration and precision of the alignment.
There are two main types of eclipses:
Solar Eclipse: The New Moon moves directly between the Sun and Earth, blocking out the Sun in certain locations on Earth. Always occurs in the daytime.
Lunar Eclipse: The Full Moon moves directly behind the Earth. The Moon becomes covered by Earth’s shadow. Always occurs in the evening.
Date
9th March
Eclipse type
Total Solar Eclipse
Location & Visibility
A partial eclipse is visible in Singapore, from 8am to
11.30am.
23rd March
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
Visible in Singapore, from 6pm to 10pm (after
moonrise).
1st September
Annular Solar Eclipse
Not visible in Singapore
17th September
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
Visible in Singapore, from 1am to 5am.
Reference: NASA Eclipse Web Site, http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html